Skip to main content

Tesla Cybertruck: Great in a crash, terrible in the snow

The Tesla Cybertruck continues to underwhelm

Tesla Cybertruck EV driving in snow.
Tesla

It was touted as a futuristic vehicle that could tackle anything from desert to open water to the surface of Mars — but it turns out the Tesla Cybertruck isn’t the all-terrain vehicle of your dreams. There are numerous reports, images, and videos showing the controversial EV stuck in snow.

While a big enough snowbank can theoretically strand anything, the white stuff that the Cybertrucks were thwarted by didn’t seem to be particularly heavy in many cases. One X (formerly Twitter) user, “Captain Lou,” described the situation as being “like finding a leprechaun that’s constantly getting stuck in a glue trap.”

Recommended Videos

Another storm, another CyberTruck needing a rescue.

It's like finding a leprechaun that's constantly getting stuck in a glue trap.

Credit: @iAmAndyPauly pic.twitter.com/l3MJZIin0i

— Captain Lou (@TheCaptainLou) January 7, 2024

It may be one of several things causing the trucks to struggle in winter conditions, but the tires are likely responsible for the bulk of the problems. It’s unknown if any of the stranded vehicles are AWD models, but that could also play a part. One thing that should work in the Cybertruck’s favor when it comes to gaining traction in snow is the vehicle’s excessive weight — particularly as the vehicle’s motors should put a lot of that weight over the drive wheels. Sadly though, that doesn’t seem to be enough in this case. Tesla may work out how to fix this, but for now, you should probably leave your weirdly shaped, excessively priced electric truck in the garage until spring.

Tesla Cybertruck driving in the desert.
Tesla / Tesla

On the plus side, it’s built like a tank

Despite its winter performance being below par, there are potentially a few positives to the Cybertruck’s design. Despite a limited number only being on the road for a few weeks, an accident has already been reported, and the Cybertruck involved came out relatively unscathed. According to a post on Reddit, the Cybertruck was left with a dent, a few scratches, and a missing rear fender, while the Toyota Corolla that collided with it was condemned to the scrap heap.

It is worth noting that, like many a ’90s Volvo, this kind of construction could be good for the truck itself but less than great for any occupants. Crumple zones work, and pretty much all modern cars have them for that reason. If you’re driving a large, unyielding metal box, then most of the energy from something like a head-on collision will turn you and whoever else is inside it into soup.

Actual crash physics has a few more factors at play, but some degree of give, like the Corolla obviously had, can be a lifesaver in many circumstances. So the solid construction is great news for the truck itself, but may turn out to be bad news for Cybertruck owners in the long run.

Topics
Dave McQuilling
Dave has spent pretty much his entire career as a journalist; this has included jobs at newspapers, TV stations, on the…
Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar beats its own record lap time on the Ring
The AMG ONE competes with itself and wins
Mercedes-AMG ONE on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife close frontal view.

Mercedes-AMG recently announced that the AMG ONE hypercar broke its own record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Also called the Ring, this 20.832-km ( 12.94 miles) track in Germany is a standard testing ground for performance cars. The Mercedes-AMG ONE with F1 technology is the first production vehicle to complete a single lap of the circuit in less than 6:30 minutes. The official time was 6:29.090 minutes. That time is more than five seconds faster than the previous record, achieved by the AMG ONE in 2022.
Why the AMG ONE lap record matters

A car with the record time on the Ring gets worldwide bragging rights, but it means more than that to Mercedes-AMG. In addition to raising the bar for the company's production vehicles, attaining and then besting the record gives the team a chance to get the most out of the car, demonstrating their drive and ability.

Read more
Formula E to include all-women teams in pre-season trials with newest race car specs
The FIA wants to advance gender equality and support women in motorsports
Formula E announces test session for women racing drivers.

The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced an FIA Formula E test session for 11 all-women race teams that must include at least one woman driver on each team. The test session, which will occur on November 7 at Ricardo Tomo Circuit in Valencia, Spain, will give qualifying elite women racing drivers a chance to drive the next-gen all-electric Formula E race car. This session will be the first all-women test session of an FIA Championship.
The significance of the all-women test session with the GEN3 Formula E race car
Motorsports are open to women drivers, but women only hold 3% of the active top-tier FIA racing licenses worldwide. According to a FIAFormula E news release, the organization is conducting the Valencia test as part of a long-term plan to break down barriers and increase opportunities for women in the all-electric championship. The goal is not just to create a single opportunity but to address and eliminate the systemic issues that have restricted women's involvement and growth.
Additional FIA activities to support women in motorsport

Running an extended program for up to 400 young women at the Valencia test, where they can meet women racing drivers, watch them in action, and join workshops to explore motorsport careers.
Collaborating with teams and partners to offer more support for women drivers, including engineering help, simulator practice, future testing, and coaching to develop their skills.
Learning from successful women in other sports to gain insights into overcoming challenges and promoting diversity in motorsport.
New technology, like power steering (coming in 2026), will be added to improve driving for both men and women.
Expanding the FIA Girls on Track initiative in Season 11, aiming to get more young women involved and continue the program’s success.
Working with diverse and women-led groups to find and remove barriers for women and girls entering motorsport at all levels.

Read more
Hybrids overtake EVs, according to CarGurus report
Electric car plugged into charger

Over the last several years, electric vehicles have quickly become one of the hottest topics in the autoverse. Led by the polarizing Elon Musk and his ever-advancing fleet of Teslas, the pro-EV movement has managed to engender equal parts support and opposition. But, despite its controversial status, the bottom line of the argument is, in fact, the bottom line of the balance sheet for manufacturers. Meaning that as long as EVs are selling, not much else matters for carmakers.

In a wildly contended statement a few months ago, Toyota's CEO Akio Toyoda stated that EVs would never dominate the sales market and that hybrids were a better alternative. While even more time will be needed to confirm this statement to be true in perpetuity, CarGurus has recently released a few findings that prove the public agrees with Akio Toyoda's thinking.

Read more